Two cats and a dog rescued from bomb blast holidayed in Bournemouth

Trixie had survived, entombed for eight days after the Luftwaffe had blasted the neighbourhood. So too had her companions, Bunny and Ginger, the cats.

Their mutual devotion had an unlikely start.

The eight-year-old pedigree Airedale had strayed into Mrs. Masters’s general shop in Northam, Southampton, and they formed such a strong bond her original owners allowed her to stay.

Then came the war and when the sirens sounded, Mrs Masters retreated to her shelter and Trixie crawled under the stairs. The cats hid elsewhere in the house.

But in early 1941, two high explosive bombs straddled the business, virtually demolishing it.

“I knew Trixie and the cats were buried under the debris but my son George said: ‘You can see they are not alive, mother.’ I said ‘Dig, dig and go on digging, and if they are dead, bring them out so I can see them.”

Her son and brother-in-law, Alfred Masters, did as she requested, but after four days wearisome toil, George was sure they had not survived. Mum however insisted they should carry on, and three days later, Ginger was rescued, miraculously unhurt.

It spurred on the diggers and the following day, George dashed to a neighbour to borrow a saw after finally seeing Trixie’s outline.

But was she dead or alive?

Mrs Masters told the Echo: “I rushed from the house and saw five men in the street. I told them that I knew they had to get home before the blackout but my Airedale was under the wreckage and I asked them to help.”

And being a nation of dog lovers, of course they assisted.

As George kept sawing, he encouraged the dog: “Keep back, Trixie, keep back, and she seemed to move her nose.”

The rescuers had their reward - moments later she was free.

“My son at last had Trixie in his arms,” she joyfully recounted. “When she saw me, she got out of his arms and staggered towards me, covered with dust and soot.”

Mrs Masters nursed her back to health but within days, she noticed a swelling under her body and a vet had to operate - successfully. Though Trixie had to be wrapped in four bandages before regaining her strength.

As for the cats, they evidently had used up one of their nine lives.

Mrs Masters found Bunny, a veteran 13-year-old, contentedly sitting in the church opposite the shop, having apparently crawled from the very same hole through which Trixie was extricated.

Highly relieved, she took the trio to Bournemouth for a few weeks but Ginger enjoyed the resort so much he suddenly disappeared.

Following the blast, Mrs Masters and Trixie spent the nights together in Romsey but Bunny was tough, sleeping in a surface shelter.